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Cheers to Seattle! Amazon offers 1-hour alcohol delivery

August 25, 2015 02:37 PM

(Bloomberg)—Amazon.com Inc. is offering one-hour delivery of wine, beer and spirits in a U.S. city for the first time through its Prime Now program, adding a new twist to on-demand delivery starting in the Seattle area.

Seattle also is the only U.S. location where Amazon customers can order liquor and beer. In the rest of the country, Amazon’s alcohol sales are limited to wine. The company already provides quick alcohol delivery in London.

The Seattle-based e-commerce giant is testing the online alcohol delivery market, which is estimated to increase to $1.4 billion in sales by 2020, according to IBISWorld.

Amazon, No. 1 in the Internet Retailer 2015 Top 500 Guide, made the announcement Tuesday as it added Seattle to the list of U.S. cities—New York, Miami and Atlanta are among others—where same-day delivery of everyday items is available for subscribers of Amazon Prime, a $99 annual membership program that includes delivery discounts.

Two-hour delivery is free through Prime Now and one-hour service is $7.99.